Re: My Great Pacific Northwest Journey

Originally Posted by Alice's Wonderland

The little house is a monument from a really big flood in the 80's I believe, and one man died saving a little girl who loved tree houses or something like that. And it was so sad when Bill died! Jane Goodall was here and she visited him like two days before he passed. Poor Bill.

Thank you!! I was hoping that you would know the real story of the giant birdhouse!

Originally Posted by pratt55

How much did you pay the alpaca to go silent on your daughter? What a mean mommy thing to do.

Actually I think it was the other way around... I think my daughter paid it off so I would be standing there looking silly!

Part next in the trip to the end of the report.....

The Saturday before I left we made one final journey out of town. We took a trip a few miles north, to Trinidad and Patrick’s Point State Park. We didn’t get as far as the actual Redwood forest (maybe next time) but we did see some absolutely beautiful countryside.

First stop of the day.

Ok not exactly the first stop... we went into the park and actually walked back to the visitors center but the sign is just a nice way to start this section.

One of the many walking trails in the park.

Deep, old growth forest.

I would so like this to be my back yard....

And what do you find in Native Plant Gardens?

Bananna slugs!!!!

Ok, there were pretty wild flowers there too.

In one section of the park is a recreated Native American village. It was built by people of the Yurok tribe, using modern tooks but materials and the style of what an original village would of looked like. Its called Sumeg Village, which is the place name of a former seasonal fishing camp used many years ago.

Recreated houses.

My daughter won’t like this, but here’s my “kids” in front of one of the houses so you can get an idea of scale.

A semi underground “sweat house” or “sweat lodge” which was apparently used like a sauna room.

An example of a small canoe. The Yurok actually made canoes in several sizes, this one would of been the size they used on the Klamath River.

The visitor center has Smokey’s cousin to greet you and get you to sign the guestbook.

Re: My Great Pacific Northwest Journey

Part lets get this puppy finished up!!!! Just a couple more sections I think then it should be done!!!!

Another part of Patrick’s State Park is Agate Beach. You can walk down to the beach, search for agates and actually take any that you find. Pretty amazing considering that in most parks if you so much as take a blade of grass out with you, you can get into trouble!

The top of the trailhead, looking down over the beach.

Another view...

This is part of the trail going down to the beach. It looks deceptively level here.

This is as close as we got. From this point on the trail turned into steep steps and I looked at that and said.... “Yeah, I’m done.” Besides, I still had to get back to the top of the cliff even from that point!!

So close, but yet so far away...

There were wild berries growing everywhere, that I could not for the life of me get my camera to focus on!

By now it was coming up on late afternoon and we were getting hungry. We left Patrick’s State Park and headed back south, stopping by Trinidad on the way home. After having lunch at the Trinidad Bay Eatery and Gallery (killer homemade blueberry cobbler!), we walked down to the bay to take in the sights.

One of the most notable features is the Trinidad Memorial Lighthouse. This is a replica of the original lighthouse, still in use today. It was in 1949 that the Memorial Lighthouse was started by the local civic club, to honor those who had lost their lives at sea.

A plaque and anchor stand to the side of the lighthouse.

The small bay... gorgeous!

And again, steep stairs leading down to the beach. Yeah, you kids go ahead and head on down... I’ll just get some pictures from up here.

It was at this point that my camera batteries went completely and totally dead. Not to worry... I had an extra set in my purse in the car! I went back to the car, put in the new batteries...

They were even more dead.

Needless to say I was... more than a bit ... perturbed. This is the third time this has happened to me. The last time was at my cousins wedding. Which is why I made sure before I left that I charged up all of the batteries I was bringing with me.... two weeks earlier. I guess some rechargeables, don't hold the charge too long.

Note to self...next time, make sure you put all the batteries on the charger the night before you are going to maybe need them...

Ok if you’ve followed the saga this far... I commend you!! I promise, I’m almost done!!! One more section then we can put this thing to bed!! ( Old journalism student coming out.)

Re: My Great Pacific Northwest Journey

One of the claims to fame that McKinleyville has is the worlds tallest totem pole. But unless you’re a local, its hard to find since its tucked away in one of the shopping centers.

Its so tall, you can’t get it all in the picture unless you stand back!

A close up for detail.

And specific information about it.

And while there is a Starbucks in the area ( I saw one while I was there), it seems most of the locals prefer one of the many little coffee kiosh’s that are scattered on almost every street. I saw what seemed like dozens of these! They add a unique personal flavor to the area!

Someone found a use for the old PhotoMat store ideas.

But all vacations have to end, and sooner or later we have to go back to reality.

Darn it.

My flight was scheduled to leave at 6:31 PM on a Sunday. When I booked I made the mistake of not paying attention to the difference between AM and PM.But if I had changed flights I would of had to pay more so....

The kids dropped me off, I went through security and went to wait for my plane. It was a small waiting room, and it was already full so I had to stand against a wall. While standing there, I did a head count....

Um... its a really small puddle jumper I’m flying out on... where are all of these people going to fit?? A plane finally landed outside of the waiting area, but... it wasn’t my plane... it was a different carrier.

Where is my plane? I kept watching the clock and it was by now only a few minutes until we were suspose to leave. About that time, someone came in and told us that the flight was being delayed.... until 8 PM.

Well, I was to have an almost 3 hour layover in San Francisco, so I wasn’t bothered. I figured I’d use the time to wander around the airport. Its such a... big place... Besides not only did I have time, but they made us leave the waiting room area and go back out to the main lobby.

Upstairs on one of the walls there are 3 frames, with pictures of local service people who have given their lives in the service of their country.

The view from upstairs of gate one. Its very nice that they have this marked as gate one, since the airport only has one gate and they wouldn’t want anyone to get lost.

A sculpture attached to the wall....

It kept getting closer and closer to the new departure time I kept wandering past the gate waiting for them to let us go back through security, when I hear overhead...

Ladies and gentlemen, flight 5480 has been delayed to 9 PM due to weather in San Francisco.

Ok, now I’m a bit freaked... my flight from Frisco to Palm Springs is suspose to depart at 10:20... I went to the ticket counter and told them I can a connecting flight and would I make it? They looked in the computer, and said at that point the other flight was on time, and they were pretty sure they would make it, and they might be able to take off sooner, and the other flight could get delayed....

Well whats flying without a little adventure right? I went back through security, went to the waiting area and... well... waited. I debated on if I wanted to try to fly out the next day, take a chance on getting stranded in San Francisco... I was about 10 seconds away from getting up and seeing if I could fly out the next day when they told everyone to board the plane. Hot dog! By this time it was almost 8:30 and I was sweating making my connection.

Then I walked out on the tarmack and saw my plane.

I hope the flight crew can peddle fast enough to keep this thing up in the air.

The flight attendant did a good job getting everyone settled in, since I heard him say we only had a 10 minute window to get off the ground or we wouldn’t be leaving at all. Of course they had over booked some of the seats so he had to re-arrange people a bit.

(Side note... he was a really cool attendant with a great sense of humor. Just before we landed in Frisco he was talking to a couple of ladies in the very front about Disneyland, since when he was younger he worked as a parade dancer. Unfortunately by then I was stressed and tired and didn’t have a chance to talk to him myself about it.}

Trying not to think about the fact I was in a propeller airplane, flying over water, and flying into bad weather in Frisco.

We actually made good time getting there. But because of the low ceiling (fog) had to circle around and around and around.... for probably more than a half hour. It was around 11 PM by the time we landed. Several on the plane had other connections to try to make, So as soon as the door opened, we all “flew’ off the plane and headed for the terminal.

In one way I was lucky that night. My next flight was leaving from the exact same gate so I didn’t have to run around to see if I had missed my flight. No, I found out right then and there...

Ok, in one way this was good. At least I didn’t miss my flight. On the other hand... by the time we actually got off the ground it was after 12:30.

By now I was exhausted, stressed and feeling bad because my hubby had to come pick me up when I got home then go to work that morning. So I didn’t do a lot of exploring of the airport, and only took a couple of pictures.

I took these because my hubby likes planes.

At least I felt safe on that last leg of the journey since there was a doctor on board. Seriously... I was sitting there in the San Franciso airport, watching people and I looked across the terminal and saw.....

A doctor who use to work at the same hospital I do. What are the odds? He was headed back to Palm Springs too! He told me he was suppose to go to work the next day, I told him he was a doctor so he was use to going without sleep.... Small world indeed!

Well, we got into the air, made it to Palm Springs around 2 AM (which put me home around 3 AM) and that as they say... was that.

Home is a good place to be but I have to admit... I miss it up there. Its one of the most beautiful places I’ve been, and I’m looking forward to going back again someday and seeing some of the stuff I missed. Yes, believe it or not, there was actually stuff I didn’t see or take pictures of!

Thank you all who have taken the time to look at my report, and those who have taken the time to comment and encourage me to continue on. I actually do these reports as much for myself, as to share with everyone else. It really is like reliving the vacation to do these things, and it brings back great memories, even though it hasen’t really been that long since I got home!

Re: My Great Pacific Northwest Journey

You are very welcome Elly! And thank you for taking the time to have a look at it. I know it turned into a pretty big report in the end. It was a lot of work putting it together, but fun since like I said... it brings it back in my mind again! And if I ever forget any part of it, I can come back here and read it.

Re: My Great Pacific Northwest Journey

Lovely report penguinsoda! That area is absolutely beautiful. I love historic little towns like that. That tiny airport reminded me of one I went to last summer, the Great Falls airport in Montana. I think they had 2 gates....

Re: My Great Pacific Northwest Journey

Great TR !!!

Good morning, son
In twenty years from now
Maybe we'll both sit down and have a few beers
And I can tell you 'bout today
And how I picked you up and everything changed
It was pain
Sunny days and rain
I knew you'd feel the same things...